Behind Closed Doors

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0:00:02 > 0:00:04This programme contains strong language

0:00:04 > 0:00:08and scenes which some viewers may find upsetting from the start.

0:00:08 > 0:00:11There is a violent crime that strikes at the very heart

0:00:11 > 0:00:13of home and family.

0:00:13 > 0:00:17But it's an offence where victims are rarely willing to press charges.

0:00:17 > 0:00:18This is awful.

0:00:21 > 0:00:24Working with Thames Valley Police for over 12 months, this film

0:00:24 > 0:00:26follows three extraordinary women,

0:00:26 > 0:00:30from the moment they call the police all the way to trial and beyond.

0:00:30 > 0:00:33I can still feel his hands around my throat.

0:00:33 > 0:00:36I can still see his face and feel his breath,

0:00:36 > 0:00:40taste that metallic taste at the back of your throat from the blood.

0:00:40 > 0:00:43They have waived their right to anonymity

0:00:43 > 0:00:47to break the wall of silence and fear that surrounds domestic abuse.

0:00:47 > 0:00:51Imagine if I did nothing and he did it again to somebody else.

0:00:51 > 0:00:55You know? He is a danger to women.

0:01:06 > 0:01:10It's April 20th, 2015.

0:01:10 > 0:01:14A 999 call comes in to Thames Valley Police.

0:01:14 > 0:01:17'Go ahead, caller. You're through to the police.

0:01:18 > 0:01:20SHOUTING

0:01:21 > 0:01:22'Hello. Is there anyone on the line?'

0:01:31 > 0:01:33All the police can hear is shouting.

0:01:33 > 0:01:36'I'm getting officers out there straight away.'

0:01:36 > 0:01:38The call cuts off after two minutes.

0:01:38 > 0:01:40'Female panicking on the phone.'

0:01:40 > 0:01:44But the police have tracked the position of the mobile phone,

0:01:44 > 0:01:46and officers arrive seven minutes later.

0:01:46 > 0:01:48I haven't done anything wrong.

0:01:48 > 0:01:50I'm arresting you on suspicion of assault.

0:01:50 > 0:01:52- Something's happened here.- Yeah.

0:01:52 > 0:01:54A female's got injured that we can't account for at this time.

0:01:58 > 0:02:01There's enough suspicion for me to arrest you on suspicion of assault.

0:02:03 > 0:02:07Sabrina managed to call the police and throw the phone under her bed.

0:02:09 > 0:02:13She says she's been beaten by her partner, Paul Hopkins,

0:02:13 > 0:02:14for over six hours.

0:02:14 > 0:02:17Are you happy to give a statement about what's happened today?

0:02:17 > 0:02:19I don't want to. I don't know.

0:02:19 > 0:02:22I appreciate that you're scared but we've taken him away now.

0:02:24 > 0:02:26Paul is arrested

0:02:26 > 0:02:28and taken into custody.

0:02:37 > 0:02:40This is where he's had me on the bed

0:02:40 > 0:02:43and he's smashed my face in.

0:02:43 > 0:02:45That's all my blood there.

0:02:45 > 0:02:48There's a handprint, where I've tried to drag myself away from him.

0:02:48 > 0:02:52There's a few spots of it on the bottom bit there, too.

0:02:54 > 0:02:56There's blood all up here, too. Look.

0:02:57 > 0:02:59That's all my blood sprayed up the wall.

0:03:01 > 0:03:03As you can see, there's spots everywhere really.

0:03:05 > 0:03:09Sabrina and Paul have been together for five years.

0:03:09 > 0:03:11Paul has been violent before

0:03:11 > 0:03:15but this is the worst attack Sabrina has ever suffered.

0:03:15 > 0:03:18It started as just a couple of little slaps in the face

0:03:18 > 0:03:20and then it just escalated.

0:03:20 > 0:03:22He threw that chair on my head

0:03:22 > 0:03:25and then he picked up the speaker underneath it,

0:03:25 > 0:03:28held it above his head and was going to throw it on my head.

0:03:28 > 0:03:32When I screamed at him, "Please, stop. You're going to kill me,"

0:03:32 > 0:03:36he said, "I don't care. I don't care cos I hate you."

0:03:36 > 0:03:38I've never been so frightened.

0:03:38 > 0:03:39I honestly thought I was going to die.

0:03:39 > 0:03:42I thought he was going to kill me.

0:03:42 > 0:03:43Sorry.

0:03:47 > 0:03:50If the police hadn't come when they did, he would have done.

0:03:50 > 0:03:52He was still going then.

0:03:55 > 0:03:58I can't even begin to explain what it felt like.

0:03:58 > 0:04:02It's...almost resigning yourself

0:04:02 > 0:04:04to the fact that, this is it, I'm going to die.

0:04:04 > 0:04:05I'm going to die.

0:04:07 > 0:04:09And then I got to the point while he was beating me,

0:04:09 > 0:04:11where it was like, "Please, this next punch,

0:04:11 > 0:04:15"just let it be the last one so it does kill me and it stops

0:04:15 > 0:04:17"because I won't feel it any more."

0:04:17 > 0:04:19SHE SOBS

0:04:27 > 0:04:30Because the attack was so violent,

0:04:30 > 0:04:33Sabrina's case is immediately referred to the domestic abuse unit

0:04:33 > 0:04:35at Thames Valley Police.

0:04:35 > 0:04:37My name's Emma. I work for the domestic abuse unit.

0:04:37 > 0:04:40I'm just giving you a call to see how you are.

0:04:42 > 0:04:46Paul Hopkins is interviewed later the same day by DC Sam Hunter,

0:04:46 > 0:04:50an officer specially trained to deal with domestic abuse.

0:04:51 > 0:04:54Can you tell me what led up to you being arrested?

0:04:54 > 0:04:57She went out to meet a dealer sometime last...

0:04:57 > 0:05:00I think it was the night-time cos it was dark.

0:05:00 > 0:05:05Obviously, I've lost track of time, for that long,

0:05:05 > 0:05:07and came back in that state.

0:05:07 > 0:05:11And what state are you talking about when you say...?

0:05:11 > 0:05:13Her face was really badly bruised and her nose was bleeding

0:05:13 > 0:05:15and it kept continuing to bleed.

0:05:15 > 0:05:17What did her eyes look like?

0:05:17 > 0:05:19One of them she couldn't see out of.

0:05:19 > 0:05:22Did she explain what happened to her?

0:05:22 > 0:05:25She just said he gave her a good hiding cos she couldn't pay him.

0:05:25 > 0:05:27- Who's he?- I can't name him.

0:05:30 > 0:05:32You're basically saying you know

0:05:32 > 0:05:35- who's given her this good hiding, aren't you?- Yeah.

0:05:35 > 0:05:38- And you're not going to tell us? - I can't.

0:05:40 > 0:05:45His defence is that she left to go meet the drug dealer

0:05:45 > 0:05:49and, because she couldn't pay him, he's given her a good beating.

0:05:49 > 0:05:50But if that's the case

0:05:50 > 0:05:53then there would have been blood at least going up the steps,

0:05:53 > 0:05:55'cos all the blood is round by the bed area

0:05:55 > 0:05:58'and up the walls and there's no blood outside,

0:05:58 > 0:06:00'so I think that's very telling.'

0:06:01 > 0:06:04Sabrina is obviously saying you did those injuries to her

0:06:04 > 0:06:06and she goes on to say,

0:06:06 > 0:06:08"The threats started to get worse

0:06:08 > 0:06:12"and that you ended up slapping her and punching her."

0:06:12 > 0:06:13Did you do that?

0:06:13 > 0:06:16- No. I never touched her. - You never touched her?

0:06:16 > 0:06:18Only to cuddle her. But, no, not violently.

0:06:20 > 0:06:22They put the cuffs on me

0:06:22 > 0:06:24and said, "We're arresting you on suspicion of assault,"

0:06:24 > 0:06:27and she screamed at them and as they were leading me down the steps

0:06:27 > 0:06:31she was still screaming, "Don't. He hasn't done anything. It's not him."

0:06:32 > 0:06:35- Is Paul coming with us? - Yeah, Paul's coming with you.

0:06:35 > 0:06:38Arrested on suspicion of assault by me, 08.40.

0:06:40 > 0:06:44Sarge, can that go with him? It's just tobacco.

0:06:44 > 0:06:47'Sabrina, we've got an ambulance coming to see you.'

0:06:47 > 0:06:49Well, I don't hear her screaming,

0:06:49 > 0:06:51saying he's done nothing wrong.

0:06:51 > 0:06:53'Can you tell us what's happened yet?'

0:06:53 > 0:06:57It is really interesting, and if he goes "not guilty",

0:06:57 > 0:07:02this I will insist on being played through the trial,

0:07:02 > 0:07:04because it's just so...

0:07:04 > 0:07:07Yeah, it's a really good piece of evidence, I think.

0:07:07 > 0:07:12The police will give the Crown Prosecution Service their evidence

0:07:12 > 0:07:14but they may only be able to charge Paul

0:07:14 > 0:07:17if Sabrina is willing to go to court.

0:07:17 > 0:07:19Sabrina's already known to the team.

0:07:19 > 0:07:23She has a history of retracting her police statements.

0:07:23 > 0:07:25The last time was four months ago,

0:07:25 > 0:07:27after Paul had allegedly assaulted her.

0:07:27 > 0:07:31With domestic abuse, we do get to see the same people

0:07:31 > 0:07:32time and time again.

0:07:32 > 0:07:3743% of victims will be a repeat victim,

0:07:37 > 0:07:40and when I say that, it means they will suffer another crime

0:07:40 > 0:07:43within a year of having reported a crime.

0:07:43 > 0:07:48They may be being abused by the same partner, time and time again,

0:07:48 > 0:07:51and we will work very hard to break that.

0:07:53 > 0:07:56The domestic abuse unit don't just deal with physical violence.

0:07:56 > 0:07:59A new case of harassment has just come in from a woman

0:07:59 > 0:08:02who is fleeing her partner.

0:08:02 > 0:08:05Hi, Beverley. It's Charlotte Parker from Thames Valley Police.

0:08:05 > 0:08:09Hello. I'm just phoning with a bit of an update for our case.

0:08:09 > 0:08:15So Lawrence phoned Helen and when he started bad-mouthing her father,

0:08:15 > 0:08:18she decided she was going to call

0:08:18 > 0:08:20the police and tell them where he was.

0:08:23 > 0:08:28Helen has only been in the Thames Valley area for a few weeks.

0:08:28 > 0:08:31She met her partner, Lawrence, ten years ago.

0:08:32 > 0:08:35I met him through a friend of ours,

0:08:35 > 0:08:38and just the minute that I walked through the door,

0:08:38 > 0:08:41I just thought, "Oh." I just knew.

0:08:44 > 0:08:48We spent a year getting to know each other.

0:08:48 > 0:08:51We had great fun. We'd go out places.

0:08:51 > 0:08:54We'd stay in. We'd have meals together.

0:08:54 > 0:08:56We spent every single day together.

0:08:57 > 0:09:02Lawrence moved in with Helen and her five-year-old son in 2008.

0:09:02 > 0:09:04He took on Joseph on like his own.

0:09:04 > 0:09:06Nothing was ever a problem.

0:09:06 > 0:09:08I lost my mum, he looked after us.

0:09:08 > 0:09:11My dad came and stayed with us, you know, because he was in a bad way.

0:09:11 > 0:09:14I mean, he really was my rock.

0:09:15 > 0:09:19But a few months after they started living together,

0:09:19 > 0:09:22Helen realised that Lawrence was becoming more controlling.

0:09:23 > 0:09:25It was a gradual kind of...

0:09:25 > 0:09:28just a little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more.

0:09:28 > 0:09:31And, "Oh, my feet are aching. Could you rub my feet?"

0:09:31 > 0:09:36And then it would be, "Why are you not rubbing my feet tonight?"

0:09:36 > 0:09:40And, "You haven't rubbed my feet so get on with it."

0:09:40 > 0:09:44That's when the mental abuse started kicking in, and the verbal abuse.

0:09:46 > 0:09:51And then I don't actually remember the very first time that he hit me.

0:09:51 > 0:09:56I don't particularly recall what it was that set it off.

0:09:56 > 0:10:02I think he backslapped me across the face. Um...

0:10:02 > 0:10:06and I think I... I mean, I was just in so much shock,

0:10:06 > 0:10:10I just couldn't believe that he'd actually done that to me.

0:10:11 > 0:10:14He was so nice 90% of the time,

0:10:14 > 0:10:18but so absolutely vile 10% of the time.

0:10:18 > 0:10:21When they put my mum's ashes up at the graveyard,

0:10:21 > 0:10:23he turned round and punched me in the face

0:10:23 > 0:10:26so I couldn't go to that because I had a black eye,

0:10:26 > 0:10:28so I had to make an excuse

0:10:28 > 0:10:32and say to my dad I couldn't cope with seeing her ashes going.

0:10:45 > 0:10:48In January 2015, the violence escalated.

0:10:49 > 0:10:53The family were celebrating New Year on the Shetland Islands.

0:10:53 > 0:10:57That night, Lawrence viciously attacked Helen.

0:11:01 > 0:11:03Her 12-year-old son witnessed the attack

0:11:03 > 0:11:06and then managed to get out and run for help.

0:11:09 > 0:11:12Lawrence Feek was arrested and remanded in custody.

0:11:16 > 0:11:21From prison, Lawrence wrote letters to Helen, begging for forgiveness.

0:11:22 > 0:11:25After a week, he was released on bail

0:11:25 > 0:11:27and returned to the family home.

0:11:29 > 0:11:32He came straight to Lincolnshire

0:11:32 > 0:11:35and gave me the "I'm going to a counsellor,

0:11:35 > 0:11:36"I'm not going to drink any more,

0:11:36 > 0:11:39"I'm going to change, blah-blah-blah,"

0:11:39 > 0:11:42and, like an idiot, I believed him...

0:11:44 > 0:11:46..so I took him back.

0:11:47 > 0:11:52Six weeks ago, Helen decided to leave Lawrence for good.

0:11:52 > 0:11:55She's taken her son to the only safe place she knows -

0:11:55 > 0:11:56her dad's.

0:11:58 > 0:12:01But Lawrence has continued to send her abusive texts,

0:12:01 > 0:12:03which she's reported to Thames Valley Police.

0:12:05 > 0:12:08Helen's having hundreds of texts and calls a day.

0:12:08 > 0:12:10She said she didn't want the contact,

0:12:10 > 0:12:12she'd asked him to stop,

0:12:12 > 0:12:15and also it was the nature of the content of the contact,

0:12:15 > 0:12:18in that he's threatening to harm her, threatening to kill her.

0:12:18 > 0:12:21So more offences might happen.

0:12:21 > 0:12:23We run the risk of him finding her,

0:12:23 > 0:12:26assaulting her again, or worse.

0:12:37 > 0:12:40The day after Sabrina's six-hour assault,

0:12:40 > 0:12:41her partner, Paul Hopkins,

0:12:41 > 0:12:45has been charged with GBH and remanded in custody.

0:12:45 > 0:12:47I've never seen such bad bruising.

0:12:48 > 0:12:50The extent of Sabrina's injuries

0:12:50 > 0:12:53means she's immediately referred to a specialist panel.

0:12:53 > 0:12:56Obviously, everything we discuss today is confidential.

0:12:56 > 0:13:00Police, social services, schools and charities come together

0:13:00 > 0:13:03to protect people who are at the highest risk -

0:13:03 > 0:13:06at threat of imminent danger or even death.

0:13:06 > 0:13:09Can I just update you that I believe...

0:13:09 > 0:13:12Nikkie is an independent advisor for high-risk victims.

0:13:12 > 0:13:16She'll support Sabrina to make sure she's safe

0:13:16 > 0:13:19and will be there alongside her if the case goes to trial.

0:13:21 > 0:13:23- Hiya, all right?- Yeah.

0:13:23 > 0:13:26Sabrina and Paul have been in a relationship for about five years.

0:13:26 > 0:13:32Four of those years, he has been quite violent towards her.

0:13:32 > 0:13:35But he's also been quite emotionally, mentally

0:13:35 > 0:13:36and financially abusive.

0:13:36 > 0:13:39- Have you got bruises on your arms?- Yeah.

0:13:39 > 0:13:40Can I have a look?

0:13:41 > 0:13:44'Sabrina has reported to the police in the past.

0:13:44 > 0:13:48'Unfortunately she hasn't supported police,'

0:13:48 > 0:13:51but we've got to remember these people love the perpetrators.

0:13:51 > 0:13:56Him not being here's weird, but at the same time, it's not...

0:13:56 > 0:13:58- I can't get used to it.- Mm.

0:13:58 > 0:14:01Cos my mind still remembers the nice part of him,

0:14:01 > 0:14:04- and then there's the other half of him.- Mm.

0:14:04 > 0:14:05- You know?- Jekyll and Hyde.- Yeah.

0:14:05 > 0:14:08I suppose, if you like, I'm grieving the loss of the nice him.

0:14:08 > 0:14:10Yeah. Yeah, of course you are.

0:14:10 > 0:14:12The other thing I wanted to speak to you about was

0:14:12 > 0:14:14he's on remand, as you know.

0:14:14 > 0:14:17If he's let out on bail, then we're going to have to think about refuge,

0:14:17 > 0:14:20or if you've got any family and friends you can go and stay with.

0:14:20 > 0:14:22- All right?- Yeah.- OK?- Mm-hm.

0:14:22 > 0:14:26If he pleads not guilty, he's going to put you through a trial,

0:14:26 > 0:14:30I'm afraid, so that means you're going to have to go to court,

0:14:30 > 0:14:32and you're going to have to give evidence in court.

0:14:32 > 0:14:35We're possibly talking about six months if it goes to trial.

0:14:35 > 0:14:39- Right.- All right? But I don't want you to start worrying about court,

0:14:39 > 0:14:41cos we don't know. All right? We just don't know.

0:14:51 > 0:14:54It's five months since Helen's attack in Scotland,

0:14:54 > 0:14:58which was so vicious that she is now judged to be at high risk.

0:14:58 > 0:15:00Her partner, Lawrence, has pleaded guilty

0:15:00 > 0:15:03to what the prosecution described

0:15:03 > 0:15:05as "a particularly violent domestic assault",

0:15:05 > 0:15:09during which she was hit with a PlayStation console,

0:15:09 > 0:15:11chunks of he hair were pulled out,

0:15:11 > 0:15:14and the imprint of a shoe was made around her right eye.

0:15:16 > 0:15:19The judge fined Lawrence £1,700,

0:15:19 > 0:15:21but did not send him to prison.

0:15:26 > 0:15:29I'm furious because he's got away

0:15:29 > 0:15:32with completely and utterly kicking me to bits.

0:15:32 > 0:15:35I mean, he literally...

0:15:35 > 0:15:37He could have killed me.

0:15:37 > 0:15:40And he's walked away and he's back out on the street.

0:15:41 > 0:15:44He's just gone unpunished, completely.

0:15:44 > 0:15:48I just... I can't see him ever being brought to justice.

0:15:50 > 0:15:53DC Charlotte Parker has been investigating the texts

0:15:53 > 0:15:57and voice messages Lawrence has continued to send Helen.

0:15:57 > 0:15:59Lawrence has been picked up by police,

0:15:59 > 0:16:03but in interview he's made claims which, if they stand up,

0:16:03 > 0:16:06could seriously undermine the new harassment case.

0:16:06 > 0:16:09You do not have to say anything but it might harm your defence

0:16:09 > 0:16:10if you do not mention when questioned

0:16:10 > 0:16:13something which you later rely on in court.

0:16:13 > 0:16:15Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

0:16:15 > 0:16:17- All right? You happy with that? - Yeah, yeah, I'm happy with that.

0:16:17 > 0:16:20- Anything you want me to go over? - No, that's fine, mate.

0:16:20 > 0:16:22Moving on then. So you've been arrested for...

0:16:22 > 0:16:24When Lawrence was arrested,

0:16:24 > 0:16:29he said that he had been spending time with Helen

0:16:29 > 0:16:32over the Easter period last month,

0:16:32 > 0:16:35and they'd been going out for family dinners.

0:16:35 > 0:16:38As a police officer, we are here to investigate

0:16:38 > 0:16:40and it's our obligation to look into that allegation

0:16:40 > 0:16:46cos, if we find out that Helen and Lawrence have been meeting up

0:16:46 > 0:16:48and having lunches and staying in hotels together,

0:16:48 > 0:16:53then it could completely close the case down if it's found to be true.

0:16:59 > 0:17:02Lawrence has given police the name of a local pub

0:17:02 > 0:17:05where he says he went with Helen.

0:17:05 > 0:17:09If Charlotte finds CCTV evidence supporting his claims

0:17:09 > 0:17:13then it suggests Helen has not been honest with the police,

0:17:13 > 0:17:16and will make it very difficult to get a conviction for harassment.

0:17:28 > 0:17:30It's them.

0:17:30 > 0:17:34So, at 13:25, they're coming in, all three of them, as a family.

0:17:40 > 0:17:43So this is Lawrence coming through the door...

0:17:44 > 0:17:46..followed by Joseph and followed by Helen.

0:17:49 > 0:17:53Doesn't look like a girl under distress, does it?

0:17:57 > 0:18:00There's an element of disappointment that you see that

0:18:00 > 0:18:04you're probably not going to get a prosecution,

0:18:04 > 0:18:08and you've now got to find out the victim's reasons as to why...

0:18:08 > 0:18:10why she's done it.

0:18:10 > 0:18:12We don't know until we go and speak to her.

0:18:12 > 0:18:14We're going to have to challenge her on what we've found

0:18:14 > 0:18:16and see what she's got to say.

0:18:22 > 0:18:26When Lawrence was arrested, obviously he's interviewed

0:18:26 > 0:18:29- and he gets to give an account as to...- Yeah.

0:18:29 > 0:18:31..what he's got to say about it.

0:18:31 > 0:18:33And he says that he came to stay down here.

0:18:36 > 0:18:39Yes, he came down here. He told me he was here.

0:18:39 > 0:18:43He sent me a picture of him being here.

0:18:44 > 0:18:45But did you see him when he was...?

0:18:45 > 0:18:48I didn't see him when he was here. He told me he was here.

0:18:50 > 0:18:52But did you meet up with him?

0:18:52 > 0:18:53No.

0:18:54 > 0:18:56OK.

0:18:56 > 0:18:58So Lawrence has said that you guys met up

0:18:58 > 0:19:02- and I have to check that out. - Of course.

0:19:02 > 0:19:06So we have been today to check it out

0:19:06 > 0:19:12and, on the 5th of last month, so Easter Sunday...

0:19:14 > 0:19:15I saw him.

0:19:18 > 0:19:20I did.

0:19:20 > 0:19:21And what did you do?

0:19:21 > 0:19:23We went for a meal.

0:19:25 > 0:19:27For Joseph.

0:19:27 > 0:19:28I saw him.

0:19:28 > 0:19:30So why did you guys meet up?

0:19:30 > 0:19:33He wanted to give Joseph an Easter present.

0:19:36 > 0:19:37But why did you do it?

0:19:37 > 0:19:39I don't know.

0:19:40 > 0:19:41I don't know, Charlotte.

0:19:43 > 0:19:46Because at the moment, we are trying to investigate a harassment

0:19:46 > 0:19:49and you've been phoning each other and texting each other

0:19:49 > 0:19:51and meeting up for dinners.

0:19:53 > 0:19:55I don't know what to say.

0:19:55 > 0:19:58Because he gets me.

0:19:58 > 0:19:59You tell me about that, then.

0:20:01 > 0:20:03Why have you been in contact with him?

0:20:03 > 0:20:06Only you can tell me, I don't know how you're feeling,

0:20:06 > 0:20:08what you're thinking.

0:20:08 > 0:20:10I just don't know, I don't know.

0:20:10 > 0:20:13He kept telling me he was going to kill himself.

0:20:14 > 0:20:16Um...

0:20:19 > 0:20:22I don't know. He's a bit like a drug.

0:20:29 > 0:20:31SHE CRIES

0:20:35 > 0:20:37I hate him, but I can't...

0:20:40 > 0:20:42He's like a drug.

0:20:44 > 0:20:47I won't never have any more contact with him ever again.

0:20:52 > 0:20:55Helen's contact with Lawrence will make it hard for the police

0:20:55 > 0:20:57to pursue a case of harassment.

0:20:58 > 0:21:02Whatever happens to the case, Helen is still being supported

0:21:02 > 0:21:05by Caron from a local domestic abuse charity.

0:21:06 > 0:21:08It's quite common for victims and perpetrators

0:21:08 > 0:21:11to carry on meeting each other or get back together

0:21:11 > 0:21:14because they are emotionally attached to that person.

0:21:14 > 0:21:17But now she has met up with him,

0:21:17 > 0:21:20she realises what he was doing

0:21:20 > 0:21:23and she realises that it was just another tactic

0:21:23 > 0:21:27to try and get her back with him and get his own way again,

0:21:27 > 0:21:31and to use her son really as a tool to get to her,

0:21:31 > 0:21:33promising him gifts,

0:21:33 > 0:21:36and Helen was feeling at quite a low ebb when she met up with him.

0:21:36 > 0:21:38So we've got the bully...

0:21:38 > 0:21:41Yeah, he shouts, smashes things and sulks.

0:21:41 > 0:21:44- And the jailer...- Yep.

0:21:44 > 0:21:48Definitely puts me down. I've got texts that say I'm fat, ugly.

0:21:48 > 0:21:51He's threatened to hurt and kill me.

0:21:51 > 0:21:53Cries, yes, I've had that.

0:21:53 > 0:21:58I've had him say he loves me, I've had him threaten to kill himself.

0:21:58 > 0:22:01I've had plenty of that he is going to report me

0:22:01 > 0:22:03to social services and the DSS.

0:22:03 > 0:22:07Helen had been told that she was stupid,

0:22:07 > 0:22:09that she was ugly, that she was no good,

0:22:09 > 0:22:11that nobody would believe her, etc,

0:22:11 > 0:22:13every day for ten years,

0:22:13 > 0:22:16and that is hard for people to understand.

0:22:16 > 0:22:18Because, "Why do they go back?"

0:22:18 > 0:22:21And they go back because they are really testing the waters,

0:22:21 > 0:22:25if you like, so testing if they can manage on their own,

0:22:25 > 0:22:29and when they go back they are still hoping

0:22:29 > 0:22:33that things are going to change and that things are going to get better.

0:22:33 > 0:22:37And maybe this is a bit of a warning sign to the other person

0:22:37 > 0:22:38that things need to change.

0:22:38 > 0:22:42But the reality is that it doesn't change

0:22:42 > 0:22:44and often it gets worse.

0:22:48 > 0:22:50In the last year around one in 12 women

0:22:50 > 0:22:53have reported being victims of domestic abuse.

0:22:53 > 0:22:57But on average, they will endure 50 incidents of abuse

0:22:57 > 0:22:59before getting help.

0:22:59 > 0:23:04Often, they'll only call 999 when there's an immediate threat to life.

0:23:21 > 0:23:23'Police Emergency.'

0:23:23 > 0:23:26Hello. I've just had our neighbour come across.

0:23:26 > 0:23:29She's complaining that someone in her house

0:23:29 > 0:23:30just beat the shit out of her.

0:23:30 > 0:23:33OK, we're going to get help to her. What injuries does she have, please?

0:23:33 > 0:23:37She could have broken ribs, she says she has trouble breathing.

0:23:37 > 0:23:39OK, we are going to get help to you.

0:23:39 > 0:23:41- I want to stay on the phone for me, all right?- OK.

0:23:41 > 0:23:44Jemma has been attacked by her ex-boyfriend

0:23:44 > 0:23:47who she finished with four months ago.

0:23:47 > 0:23:51Dwayne Mason is arrested later the same night

0:23:51 > 0:23:53with blood all over his clothes.

0:23:53 > 0:23:55This interview is now being recorded

0:23:55 > 0:23:59and it may be given in evidence if your case is brought to trial.

0:23:59 > 0:24:01Do you understand everything so far?

0:24:14 > 0:24:17I came in through my bedroom door

0:24:17 > 0:24:22and as I've turned around he's just head-butted me and I fell on my bed.

0:24:22 > 0:24:24The blood was just dripping off my face.

0:24:24 > 0:24:27And I turned around to him,

0:24:27 > 0:24:30obviously not expecting it to carry on,

0:24:30 > 0:24:35and from that point it was just a shower of blows, really -

0:24:35 > 0:24:39punching me, dragging me, holding my head,

0:24:39 > 0:24:41throwing me down on the bed, strangling me.

0:24:41 > 0:24:44It was like he was waiting for me to lose consciousness

0:24:44 > 0:24:46and when I come round, would carry on.

0:24:48 > 0:24:51Jemma only had a brief relationship with Dwayne.

0:24:51 > 0:24:53Since she broke up with him,

0:24:53 > 0:24:56he's been harassing her with phone calls and texts,

0:24:56 > 0:24:58and turning up at her house at all hours.

0:25:01 > 0:25:04OK, this interview is now being recorded.

0:25:04 > 0:25:06What happened in the bedroom, Dwayne?

0:25:09 > 0:25:11What did you do to Jemma in the bedroom?

0:25:13 > 0:25:16Jemma remembers that you just kept punching her and punching her.

0:25:17 > 0:25:20And then you were strangling her, pinning her down,

0:25:20 > 0:25:22strangling her so she couldn't breathe.

0:25:23 > 0:25:25And she was fighting for her life

0:25:25 > 0:25:28because she thought she was going to die.

0:25:28 > 0:25:30He's crying now, yeah.

0:25:32 > 0:25:37Are you so distressed because you do care about her and she's injured?

0:25:37 > 0:25:42Or so distressed because you caused those injuries?

0:25:42 > 0:25:44HE SOBS

0:25:46 > 0:25:50Her injuries, she had some serious cuts to her face,

0:25:50 > 0:25:53I understand she had broken ribs, a punctured lung.

0:25:53 > 0:25:57How is she mentally, physically, how is she at the moment?

0:25:57 > 0:25:59She's been reasonably good.

0:25:59 > 0:26:02She's found it really difficult at first,

0:26:02 > 0:26:05but I'm going to touch base with her today and see how she is.

0:26:05 > 0:26:09What else did we get in respect of connecting him to her?

0:26:09 > 0:26:12Well, there was clothing with blood on it, there was an earring

0:26:12 > 0:26:14- with blood on it as well. - Yeah, can I ask about that?

0:26:14 > 0:26:18- They took the earring from him.- He was wearing that at the time?- Yeah.

0:26:18 > 0:26:20Cos that will be a really compelling piece of evidence

0:26:20 > 0:26:22which will tie him...

0:26:22 > 0:26:26Cos at one point she describes him having her blood all over his face.

0:26:26 > 0:26:29Yeah, OK. And then as far as her wanting to go to court,

0:26:29 > 0:26:31how does she feel about that?

0:26:31 > 0:26:35- She's sort of on board at the moment, yeah.- Excellent.

0:26:35 > 0:26:38What I'm really pleased about is the fact that she's going to make

0:26:38 > 0:26:40a very good witness.

0:26:40 > 0:26:43And he's got a lot of questions to answer.

0:26:43 > 0:26:46He has, and he's been on the radar for a long time

0:26:46 > 0:26:51with different women, but it's always been the same,

0:26:51 > 0:26:52that they've always been

0:26:52 > 0:26:56- too frightened to do much about it, so...- Yeah.

0:26:57 > 0:27:00It's always a great thing when victims can say,

0:27:00 > 0:27:03"I've had enough, yeah, I'm going to make a stand

0:27:03 > 0:27:07"and I'm not going to tolerate you doing this to me any more."

0:27:07 > 0:27:10Very often people who have been in abusive relationships,

0:27:10 > 0:27:12the nature of the relationship

0:27:12 > 0:27:15is that they're always blamed for the bad things that happen,

0:27:15 > 0:27:19and they feel very responsible very often for what's happened.

0:27:19 > 0:27:24It is very hard for them to talk to the police,

0:27:24 > 0:27:28or other agencies, and to take prosecutions forward.

0:27:31 > 0:27:36Dewayne Mason is remanded in custody and pleads not guilty.

0:27:36 > 0:27:41Jemma is prepared to go to court, but the trial may be months away.

0:27:41 > 0:27:45The police want her to record her Victim Personal Statement, or VPS,

0:27:45 > 0:27:47while events are still fresh in her mind.

0:27:48 > 0:27:52I've got constant missed calls, threatening messages.

0:27:52 > 0:27:55I think yesterday we topped up 190-plus calls,

0:27:55 > 0:27:57and it would go on to messages.

0:27:57 > 0:28:01He messages me, "You don't want to be with me, get ready for hell.

0:28:01 > 0:28:04"I will go to your work, your college, your house,

0:28:04 > 0:28:05"just to make scenes.

0:28:05 > 0:28:08"I will slit your tyres every night, poison your dogs.

0:28:08 > 0:28:11"You think you can leave me? You leave me, someone leaves you.

0:28:11 > 0:28:13"How about that? Yeah, I'm sick - so what?"

0:28:15 > 0:28:19It's three months on from Sabrina's six-hour beating.

0:28:19 > 0:28:23Her partner Paul is still on remand and has pleaded not guilty to GBH.

0:28:23 > 0:28:27She too is prepared to go to court,

0:28:27 > 0:28:30and although the jury will be shown photographs of her injuries,

0:28:30 > 0:28:34she must also complete her personal statement.

0:28:34 > 0:28:37I can remember that he smashed me in the nose.

0:28:37 > 0:28:39It was bleeding that bad

0:28:39 > 0:28:42that it wasn't running out of my nose quick enough,

0:28:42 > 0:28:44and I can remember him strangling me on the bed

0:28:44 > 0:28:46and coughing and it going in his face.

0:28:46 > 0:28:48That's the bit I can't get out of my head.

0:28:48 > 0:28:50I had bruising to the brain,

0:28:50 > 0:28:53cut eyebrow where he had head-butted me,

0:28:53 > 0:28:56and then obviously the severe bruising to the neck.

0:28:56 > 0:28:58When he was stamping on me,

0:28:58 > 0:29:01the only reason they think I didn't end up with internal bleeding

0:29:01 > 0:29:04or more damage to me was because he wasn't wearing shoes.

0:29:04 > 0:29:06- He was bare-footed?- Yeah.

0:29:06 > 0:29:09On that night he beat me naked

0:29:09 > 0:29:12and he had literally beat me to a pulp.

0:29:12 > 0:29:16I'm not sleeping properly, and I don't eat properly.

0:29:16 > 0:29:19He basically lies, cheats, manipulates,

0:29:19 > 0:29:24you know, abuses and effectively beats up, just to get his own way.

0:29:24 > 0:29:27And he never takes responsibility for anything,

0:29:27 > 0:29:30that's what shows...more and more,

0:29:30 > 0:29:32he thinks he can just do what he wants.

0:29:35 > 0:29:38Because I have been under the impression from him

0:29:38 > 0:29:40that people don't really give a shit anymore, you know,

0:29:40 > 0:29:44people just keep themselves to themselves, they don't get involved

0:29:44 > 0:29:47in other people's arguments, it made me think there

0:29:47 > 0:29:50was...there is no help out there, nobody cares, nobody wants to know.

0:29:50 > 0:29:53But that's not how it is at all, I have not found one person

0:29:53 > 0:29:57that's gone, "Well, you probably deserved it."

0:29:57 > 0:30:02I found myself looking at his pictures and getting angry

0:30:02 > 0:30:05and thinking, "Why, why, why would you do this?

0:30:05 > 0:30:09"Why would you tear something apart that could have been so nice,

0:30:09 > 0:30:13"so wonderful, so good? Why, why did you do that to me?

0:30:13 > 0:30:15"Why did you do that to us?

0:30:15 > 0:30:16"Why did you tear my heart out

0:30:16 > 0:30:19"and why, in turn, are you tearing yours out?

0:30:19 > 0:30:21"Can't you see any of this?"

0:30:21 > 0:30:24And then I get angry, then I cry, then I stop crying

0:30:24 > 0:30:26and get angry again.

0:30:26 > 0:30:29It's all a bit strange, and then I have a fag and calm down!

0:30:32 > 0:30:35But there's been a set-back with the case.

0:30:35 > 0:30:38The Crown Prosecution Service feel they will not successfully

0:30:38 > 0:30:41get a conviction for Grievous Bodily Harm

0:30:41 > 0:30:45and are looking to reduce the charge to Actual Bodily Harm.

0:30:45 > 0:30:50Unfortunately, her injuries don't reflect a GBH.

0:30:50 > 0:30:53It has to be either a breaking of the skin, like a stab wound

0:30:53 > 0:31:00or skull fractures, or broken arms and legs and it's not any of that.

0:31:00 > 0:31:03She had this awful beating and she looks horrendous,

0:31:03 > 0:31:07yet she is very lucky and she only really had a fractured rib.

0:31:07 > 0:31:13It always amazes me that somebody can be beaten senseless and because

0:31:13 > 0:31:18they don't have really serious injuries, it can still be an ABH.

0:31:18 > 0:31:21I do wonder about that sometimes.

0:31:21 > 0:31:22But the CPS lady ensures me

0:31:22 > 0:31:26that it's the worst case of ABH she's ever seen

0:31:26 > 0:31:30and she's put that all over the file and with our VPS from Sabrina,

0:31:30 > 0:31:35we hope that he will be able to get the maximum penalty for an ABH.

0:31:43 > 0:31:48It's three and a half months since Helen and her son fled to her dad's.

0:31:48 > 0:31:50Because she met up with Lawrence,

0:31:50 > 0:31:53the harassment charge against him has been dropped.

0:31:53 > 0:31:56Helen is still trying to keep away from him

0:31:56 > 0:31:58but he is persistently phoning, texting

0:31:58 > 0:32:02and contacting her on social media, so the police have issued her

0:32:02 > 0:32:07with a 24-hour panic alarm and her address is flagged as top priority.

0:32:08 > 0:32:10He's very, very angry with me.

0:32:10 > 0:32:14Once he flips, he can't control himself.

0:32:14 > 0:32:18So, you know, there would be no reason for him to be able to

0:32:18 > 0:32:24control himself, you know, if he saw me or if he came looking for me.

0:32:24 > 0:32:27To protect herself and her son,

0:32:27 > 0:32:31she's applied for a non-molestation order, forbidding Lawrence

0:32:31 > 0:32:36from having any contact with her via text, phone or social media.

0:32:39 > 0:32:43But Lawrence ignores the order and is arrested a week later.

0:32:43 > 0:32:45Can you tell us why Lawrence is with us, please?

0:32:45 > 0:32:47Yes, so at 6 o'clock this morning,

0:32:47 > 0:32:52he was arrested on suspicion of harassment and threats to kill.

0:32:52 > 0:32:58Lawrence has sent in excess of nine voicemails and several e-mails

0:32:58 > 0:33:04to his ex-partner which are unwanted and are of a threatening nature.

0:33:05 > 0:33:10- 'Saved messages.- You're fucked, you dirty fucking skank.

0:33:10 > 0:33:12'Wait until I get hold of ya, cos when I get hold of ya,

0:33:12 > 0:33:15'I'm going to beat you inside out.

0:33:15 > 0:33:18'I'm going to come and get you, I'm going to fucking eat you.

0:33:18 > 0:33:22'I'm going to fucking smash the fucking living daylights out of you.'

0:33:22 > 0:33:25So based on the information the officer's passed to me,

0:33:25 > 0:33:27your detention's authorised at this police station,

0:33:27 > 0:33:30for the purpose of securing and preserving evidence

0:33:30 > 0:33:33and to obtain any further evidence by questioning.

0:33:33 > 0:33:34Do you understand that?

0:33:34 > 0:33:38Gentlemen, would you mind taking Mr Feek to cell number four, please?

0:33:38 > 0:33:39Shoes off outside.

0:33:39 > 0:33:43'When I get ya, I'm going to rip your fucking insides clean out.

0:33:43 > 0:33:46'I'm going to make you eat them. You're fucked.

0:33:46 > 0:33:50'You dirty little skanky fucking whore.

0:33:50 > 0:33:54- 'I'm going to beat you like a dirty little- BLEEP- that you are.

0:33:54 > 0:33:58'You're fucked. I'm coming to fucking get you.'

0:34:02 > 0:34:05It makes my stomach turn when he says things like that.

0:34:05 > 0:34:10I'm used to him saying those things and then me actually being attacked.

0:34:10 > 0:34:16Because he left me the voicemail messages, he's going to be

0:34:16 > 0:34:20really cross with himself for slipping up like that.

0:34:20 > 0:34:24If he gets bailed this time, he will still torment me but this

0:34:24 > 0:34:29time it would be worse so I would be looking badly over my shoulder.

0:34:29 > 0:34:35I would be very, very concerned about mine and Joseph's safety.

0:34:37 > 0:34:39I don't understand because all I ever done was love him...

0:34:45 > 0:34:51..and I can't get in my head, I don't understand why you would want

0:34:51 > 0:34:55to hurt somebody...that's loved you.

0:34:55 > 0:34:57Not ever... Not done you any wrong.

0:34:57 > 0:35:01I didn't do him any wrong. And yet he still hurt me.

0:35:04 > 0:35:06I just don't get it.

0:35:11 > 0:35:13After a night in the cell,

0:35:13 > 0:35:16Lawrence is taken to the local magistrates' court.

0:35:16 > 0:35:20As a police officer, we'd like to keep people locked up

0:35:20 > 0:35:22because it helps us keep people safe.

0:35:22 > 0:35:26He's got a proven track record of breaching conditions or actually

0:35:26 > 0:35:32abusing victims, or this particular victim, while he's actually on bail.

0:35:34 > 0:35:36It's not that we don't disagree with

0:35:36 > 0:35:38the decision by the magistrates' court.

0:35:38 > 0:35:41It's their decision to make and they've made it.

0:35:41 > 0:35:42Hello, is that Helen?

0:35:42 > 0:35:45'I'm just calling from the domestic abuse team.

0:35:45 > 0:35:46'It's just to ring you up

0:35:46 > 0:35:49'and give you an update from the court result today.

0:35:49 > 0:35:53'They've bailed him but we've got some conditions.

0:35:53 > 0:35:57'He's not allowed to contact you, and that's directly or indirectly,

0:35:57 > 0:36:00'so if he gets somebody else to ring, or contact you...'

0:36:19 > 0:36:24For now, Jemma's attacker, Dwayne, is locked up on remand,

0:36:24 > 0:36:27but as the court date for Jemma draws nearer, she has to face

0:36:27 > 0:36:31the possibility that he may be found not guilty and released.

0:36:31 > 0:36:34He won't be able to come near me, will he?

0:36:34 > 0:36:36- Or the kids? - Not to contact you.

0:36:36 > 0:36:40That's what I'm more worried about and I want to put that in there,

0:36:40 > 0:36:45that I don't want my kids to have to bump into him.

0:36:45 > 0:36:48He's done the worst to me but I don't want him

0:36:48 > 0:36:52- to use my kids to...- To get to you.

0:36:53 > 0:36:57Jemma's kids weren't in the house when the attack happened,

0:36:57 > 0:37:00but they saw their mum in hospital immediately afterwards.

0:37:00 > 0:37:04She's asked her specialist support worker, Jacky, to help her

0:37:04 > 0:37:08kids know how to keep themselves safe if Dwayne is released.

0:37:08 > 0:37:14For a child, no matter what age, to witness domestic violence,

0:37:14 > 0:37:17whether they see it first hand or they have gone to bed

0:37:17 > 0:37:21and they can hear banging and crashing and screaming and arguing,

0:37:21 > 0:37:24they don't know what they are going to wake up to in the morning.

0:37:24 > 0:37:26So I've spoken to your mum.

0:37:26 > 0:37:29Hopefully what happens is that we will apply for a restraining

0:37:29 > 0:37:32order which means he won't be allowed to contact you or

0:37:32 > 0:37:34come anywhere near the property, OK?

0:37:34 > 0:37:37If a restraining order isn't made, this is why I'm going to do

0:37:37 > 0:37:40a little bit of safety planning with you now so you know what to

0:37:40 > 0:37:43do in case you bump into him, in case any trouble starts.

0:37:43 > 0:37:45So, you have a mobile phone?

0:37:46 > 0:37:49Yeah, but it doesn't really work.

0:37:49 > 0:37:51It does work, you just don't charge it.

0:37:51 > 0:37:53No, I can't ring people.

0:37:53 > 0:37:58We can... If he gets out of jail, we can put some credit on there, yeah?

0:37:58 > 0:38:01We make sure whenever you are not here, you have credit on your phone.

0:38:01 > 0:38:05So if you've got a phone, if you're worried or you're

0:38:05 > 0:38:07scared, you can always phone the police.

0:38:07 > 0:38:09That's what they're for. And you know what number to ring?

0:38:09 > 0:38:12- 999.- Correct, well done, top of the class.

0:38:12 > 0:38:15Say he approached you and you felt that you couldn't call the police

0:38:15 > 0:38:19because it might cause more harm, phone your mum,

0:38:19 > 0:38:22or phone a friend or phone anybody and use a code word.

0:38:22 > 0:38:25I think that because you're an Arsenal fan, if you phoned up

0:38:25 > 0:38:28a friend or anybody and said, "I now support Spurs," I reckon

0:38:28 > 0:38:31they're going to know that's not true and you need some help.

0:38:31 > 0:38:33So they can just say, "OK, where are you?"

0:38:33 > 0:38:35And then they can call the police for you,

0:38:35 > 0:38:38if they need to, or come and find you.

0:38:38 > 0:38:42OK, so, lots of safety planning has been done in the house,

0:38:42 > 0:38:45we've done the postbox, the fence, the locks.

0:38:45 > 0:38:48If anybody knocks on the door, don't just open the door,

0:38:48 > 0:38:50look through the safety hole first.

0:38:50 > 0:38:53If he did come to the property and he did get in, the best thing

0:38:53 > 0:38:57to do is find a room where you can lock yourself in. Is there a room?

0:38:57 > 0:38:59- Toilet.- Toilet? Toilet's very good.

0:38:59 > 0:39:03Then you run into the toilet, you lock the door and you phone 999.

0:39:03 > 0:39:05All right? OK? Is that fine?

0:39:05 > 0:39:08Have I waffled on enough?

0:39:08 > 0:39:09Yeah.

0:39:09 > 0:39:10I reckon so!

0:39:10 > 0:39:12You can go and play now.

0:39:12 > 0:39:17Thank you for your time, young man. Awfully kind.

0:39:31 > 0:39:35Lawrence has been released from police custody.

0:39:35 > 0:39:38Helen has decided it is time to clear out the house

0:39:38 > 0:39:41she shared with Lawrence in Lincolnshire.

0:39:41 > 0:39:45She's going back with her dad, a family friend and her son.

0:39:45 > 0:39:48It's going to be a fresh start for me and Joseph,

0:39:48 > 0:39:52and it also shows to Joseph I'm serious - I'm not going back.

0:39:52 > 0:39:55He's been through a lot, he's seen a lot,

0:39:55 > 0:39:58and the other week he said to me, "It's my fault."

0:39:58 > 0:39:59And I said, "No, no, no.

0:39:59 > 0:40:02"No way in this world, Joseph, would that ever be your fault.

0:40:02 > 0:40:04"It's his fault."

0:40:06 > 0:40:11She has no idea where Lawrence is or whether he'll be at the house.

0:40:11 > 0:40:16I'm nervous that someone might turn up or anything like that.

0:40:16 > 0:40:18I'm very, very nervous.

0:40:18 > 0:40:20I'm glad it's for the last time.

0:40:26 > 0:40:29- OK.- Is it everything to go? - Everything to go.

0:40:36 > 0:40:40SHE SOBS

0:40:45 > 0:40:48This is awful.

0:41:00 > 0:41:02SHE SIGHS

0:41:02 > 0:41:06OK, better get on.

0:41:08 > 0:41:12It's really silly. It's the silly little things

0:41:12 > 0:41:15that we...picked up and collected together.

0:41:17 > 0:41:19And it's just terrible.

0:41:30 > 0:41:34As her dad, I feel gutted.

0:41:34 > 0:41:37You don't bring them in this life to finish up like this, do you?

0:41:38 > 0:41:42'All these years she'd been telling me everything's wonderful,

0:41:42 > 0:41:45'great time, having a good time, everything's fine.'

0:41:45 > 0:41:48They looked very happy together, but you never know what happens

0:41:48 > 0:41:51behind closed doors, that old saying.

0:41:51 > 0:41:53You never know, do you?

0:41:53 > 0:41:57You see how nice it is in here, the good life they had...

0:41:57 > 0:42:01and behind the scenes, terribly sour.

0:42:06 > 0:42:11It was hard, when you walk in and you think about good memories,

0:42:11 > 0:42:13bad memories...

0:42:15 > 0:42:20But this really feels like closure now, and I'm actually feeling

0:42:20 > 0:42:25really happy about driving away from here now, and that being

0:42:25 > 0:42:29the end of it, cos that will be the end of any of my ties here.

0:42:29 > 0:42:34And it feels really, really good to know that I'm actually gone.

0:42:36 > 0:42:38I'm very excited.

0:42:38 > 0:42:40I'm really excited.

0:42:58 > 0:43:01Six months after she was assaulted,

0:43:01 > 0:43:05Jemma has to go to defend her allegations against Dewayne Mason

0:43:05 > 0:43:07and take her place in the witness box.

0:43:16 > 0:43:20The statement she originally gave to the police is played in court.

0:43:22 > 0:43:25'Obviously you realise the importance of telling the truth.

0:43:25 > 0:43:28'If you could tell me in as much detail as possible

0:43:28 > 0:43:30'exactly what happened.

0:43:30 > 0:43:34'I was woken up by banging, just banging on the door,

0:43:34 > 0:43:37'hammering the door, shouting, hammering the door.

0:43:37 > 0:43:41'As I've got into my bedroom, I've turned around and he just headbutted me.

0:43:41 > 0:43:43'He's just punched me.

0:43:43 > 0:43:45'He was dragging me around the room.

0:43:45 > 0:43:47'He just wouldn't stop, really.

0:43:47 > 0:43:48'The room was covered in blood.

0:43:48 > 0:43:50'I can remember thinking, in my head,

0:43:50 > 0:43:53'like, "He's going to kill me." '

0:43:58 > 0:44:02Jemma spends a full day being cross-examined.

0:44:02 > 0:44:04The defence case now begins

0:44:04 > 0:44:08and is expected to last for the next three days.

0:44:08 > 0:44:11I feel angry that he's made me have to go through all that.

0:44:11 > 0:44:16It was part of the evidence that was our conversation on a phone,

0:44:16 > 0:44:19and they had what I had sent to him, but not what he had sent to me,

0:44:19 > 0:44:23so the defence were kind of just making it up as they went along.

0:44:23 > 0:44:26"Oh, well, he must have said something like this to you."

0:44:26 > 0:44:30And I was saying to them, "That's not true."

0:44:30 > 0:44:33So when they went on lunch, luckily, I'd kept the message on my phone

0:44:33 > 0:44:37and I gave it to the police, and they copied the message off my phone

0:44:37 > 0:44:43and showed, so you could see, obviously, both sides of it. Erm...

0:44:43 > 0:44:47But I just think, "Imagine if I had deleted that."

0:44:47 > 0:44:50It's really hard, knowing you're telling the truth

0:44:50 > 0:44:52and you're being told that you're lying.

0:44:56 > 0:45:01KNOCK ON DOOR

0:45:04 > 0:45:06KNOCK ON DOOR

0:45:11 > 0:45:15A month after Helen was granted a non-molestation order,

0:45:15 > 0:45:19Lawrence Feek is arrested for breaching it for the second time.

0:45:19 > 0:45:22OK, they're going to charge you with three counts of breaching

0:45:22 > 0:45:24a non-molestation order, and by virtue of that breach

0:45:24 > 0:45:27you're also in breach of your court bail conditions.

0:45:27 > 0:45:28OK, if I could invite you to sign.

0:45:28 > 0:45:32It's no admission of guilt, it's just to acknowledge those charges

0:45:32 > 0:45:35- and relaying the information for the breach of court bail. - HE SIGNS

0:45:35 > 0:45:36Thank you.

0:45:36 > 0:45:38Are you OK?

0:45:38 > 0:45:39- Am I all right?- Mm-hm.

0:45:39 > 0:45:40Do I look all right?

0:45:40 > 0:45:43You were staring at me. Are you OK?

0:45:43 > 0:45:44Is that against the law?

0:45:44 > 0:45:46No. I'm just wondering if you're OK.

0:45:46 > 0:45:49- I don't even need to talk to you. Don't speak to me.- OK.

0:45:49 > 0:45:53OK, cos of the nature of...the fact you've breached your court bail conditions,

0:45:53 > 0:45:57I have no choice but to put you before the court first thing tomorrow morning.

0:46:00 > 0:46:05In interview, he claims he has seen Helen yet again.

0:46:11 > 0:46:15The phone rang and it was Lawrence, and he was sobbing,

0:46:15 > 0:46:17I mean, really crying.

0:46:17 > 0:46:20I can't even explain how badly he was crying.

0:46:20 > 0:46:22He sounded awful.

0:46:22 > 0:46:26And he said that he was going to hand himself in

0:46:26 > 0:46:31and he'd booked himself into the Travelodge in Slough.

0:46:31 > 0:46:35The next minute, we're in Wycombe District Council offices

0:46:35 > 0:46:39and he's...he's saying, "I'm homeless. Can you house me?

0:46:39 > 0:46:42"I've got nowhere to sleep. I'm going to be on the streets."

0:46:42 > 0:46:45And I'm thinking, "What?"

0:46:45 > 0:46:46Like, "What's going on?

0:46:46 > 0:46:50"Because you was meant to be handing yourself in.

0:46:50 > 0:46:53"Now, all of a sudden, we're doing housing."

0:46:53 > 0:46:55I was thinking, "Oh, my God."

0:46:55 > 0:46:58And I started to panic.

0:46:58 > 0:46:59And then he looked at me

0:46:59 > 0:47:05and he said to me, "You are a cold-hearted, horrible bitch."

0:47:05 > 0:47:09He said, "Look at you. There's not even an emotion in you."

0:47:09 > 0:47:12He said, "You really don't care."

0:47:13 > 0:47:17He said, "You don't care. You've not even shed a tear."

0:47:17 > 0:47:20And then I realised, at that very moment...

0:47:20 > 0:47:22Because there was no emotion.

0:47:22 > 0:47:24I was...sat there like I am now.

0:47:24 > 0:47:26No emotion whatsoever.

0:47:26 > 0:47:30And I thought, "That's because I don't love you."

0:47:30 > 0:47:31And I really don't.

0:47:35 > 0:47:39Helen rang the police immediately and told them where Lawrence was.

0:47:39 > 0:47:42Today, Lawrence is at the Magistrates' Court

0:47:42 > 0:47:46facing three counts of breaching the non-molestation order.

0:47:46 > 0:47:48Yet again, Helen is waiting to hear

0:47:48 > 0:47:51whether this time he will be remanded in custody.

0:47:53 > 0:47:56And we literally just got the update through about ten minutes ago.

0:47:56 > 0:47:59One of my team is going to be on the phone to her, if they're not

0:47:59 > 0:48:02physically on the phone to her in the office at the moment,

0:48:02 > 0:48:03and they've let him out again.

0:48:03 > 0:48:06No, I'm not, that's why I wanted to ring you.

0:48:07 > 0:48:11Yeah, that wasn't quite what I said. I went, "Oh, for fuck's sake!"

0:48:11 > 0:48:13You know, you sit there for hours and hours and hours

0:48:13 > 0:48:15and, at ten past four on a Friday afternoon,

0:48:15 > 0:48:17you get the phone call that says,

0:48:17 > 0:48:20"Oh, no, the court's released him. Same conditions as before."

0:48:20 > 0:48:24And you kind of go, "Hang on a minute, the conditions that he's just breached?"

0:48:24 > 0:48:27The only positive thing, at the moment, I can take from this,

0:48:27 > 0:48:31is that they've still gone with the Lincolnshire bail address...

0:48:31 > 0:48:34So he should have left court and left the area

0:48:34 > 0:48:37because one of his conditions is not to be in Berkshire.

0:48:37 > 0:48:40I'm going to try and get somebody to go round this evening

0:48:40 > 0:48:43and have that conversation and check that she's OK...

0:48:43 > 0:48:46and, more importantly, check that he isn't there.

0:48:55 > 0:48:57Come on, Dad, they've bailed him

0:48:57 > 0:49:00- and they don't know if he's still in the area or not.- That...

0:49:00 > 0:49:02Hannah's just told me that.

0:49:02 > 0:49:06So just wait a minute because I've got to phone her back.

0:49:06 > 0:49:08Where?

0:49:08 > 0:49:12Is he free... literally free right this second?

0:49:14 > 0:49:19Where is...? Did somebody pick him up or is he just...?

0:49:19 > 0:49:20How...?

0:49:23 > 0:49:25'I don't know what planet they're on.'

0:49:27 > 0:49:31It seems that the more charges you get,

0:49:31 > 0:49:33the more lenient the courts get.

0:49:34 > 0:49:38You would have thought at least they would have tagged him,

0:49:38 > 0:49:41so they could find out where he was at any time.

0:49:43 > 0:49:47Right? You would have thought that because he's an imminent danger,

0:49:47 > 0:49:50they'd have escorted him to the station

0:49:50 > 0:49:54and made sure he bought his ticket and he got on the train.

0:49:56 > 0:49:59And then told someone at the other end to check him getting off.

0:50:01 > 0:50:04They've now put you at risk again.

0:50:04 > 0:50:08- The judge...- The judge has. - ..has put you at risk.

0:50:09 > 0:50:15Is he... You know, I'm trying to be sensible here. Right?

0:50:15 > 0:50:19And be nice, but I'm saying to you, as your dad,

0:50:19 > 0:50:23he's put you at risk, the judge has put you at risk now.

0:50:23 > 0:50:28It makes a mockery of the whole justice system, doesn't it?

0:50:43 > 0:50:47It's taken Sabrina's case almost six months to come to court.

0:50:48 > 0:50:53Today, she will see Paul Hopkins for the first time since the attack.

0:50:54 > 0:50:59- How are you feeling, then?- Strange. Bit of a weird mix of emotions.

0:50:59 > 0:51:03Like I said, I'm happy that today has come, he's going

0:51:03 > 0:51:06to get what's due, but at the same time I do hope he's OK.

0:51:06 > 0:51:09I'll be sad to see him go down for any length of time,

0:51:09 > 0:51:11but at the same time I'll be pleased as well,

0:51:11 > 0:51:13and that's the bit I can't get my head round.

0:51:13 > 0:51:15Why would I be sad after what he did to me?

0:51:15 > 0:51:19I don't know what to expect in the way of what he feels, you know.

0:51:19 > 0:51:21Does he feel guilty, is he just going guilty

0:51:21 > 0:51:25because he thinks he'll get a lighter sentence or what?

0:51:25 > 0:51:27I just don't know.

0:51:28 > 0:51:33Paul has just pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of ABH.

0:51:33 > 0:51:36So Sabrina will no longer have to face cross-examination.

0:51:36 > 0:51:39But she wants to see him being sentenced.

0:51:39 > 0:51:43The maximum term for ABH is five years.

0:51:43 > 0:51:45Today just feels like the pinnacle day.

0:51:45 > 0:51:48It feels like the day everything could change.

0:51:48 > 0:51:50This day sort of...

0:51:51 > 0:51:54..hinders or helps the rest of my life.

0:52:15 > 0:52:20- Sabrina, what happened?- My world turned upside down is what happened.

0:52:20 > 0:52:24I don't think Sabrina realised quite when she saw him

0:52:24 > 0:52:27how she was going to react and... erm...

0:52:27 > 0:52:32- I didn't expect to still love him! - There was a different man sat there, really.

0:52:32 > 0:52:34It was the man who... Before...

0:52:36 > 0:52:38Before he'd beaten the crap out of her,

0:52:38 > 0:52:41it was the man she probably fell in love with that was sat there,

0:52:41 > 0:52:44and I suppose she wasn't really prepared for that.

0:52:46 > 0:52:50I thought I was going to hate him, and I don't, I still love him.

0:52:52 > 0:52:54It's not, though!

0:52:54 > 0:52:56SABRINA SOBS

0:52:56 > 0:53:02It's a very destructive feeling. Anger is a very destructive emotion.

0:53:04 > 0:53:08He got two years, so you serve usually half of that, so a year.

0:53:08 > 0:53:12He's served ten months already, so he's got two months left of his sentence

0:53:12 > 0:53:16for this and then he's got nine weeks added on for the suspended.

0:53:21 > 0:53:24'When the judge said that Sabrina

0:53:24 > 0:53:27'was lucky to come out of the flat alive,'

0:53:27 > 0:53:30I thought she's going to throw the book at him.

0:53:30 > 0:53:33And the injuries that she sustained went on,

0:53:33 > 0:53:37and you know, the weapons that was used, she went into great detail

0:53:37 > 0:53:42about that, so...you know, he's received two years.

0:53:46 > 0:53:49I walked in there with my chin in the air,

0:53:49 > 0:53:53determined to send him down for as long as I possibly could.

0:53:53 > 0:53:57And then I saw them lead him out. And I saw him sat there.

0:53:59 > 0:54:01Then I looked at him and he looked at me.

0:54:01 > 0:54:05And our eyes met and I could see it in his face. I could see it.

0:54:07 > 0:54:10When his solicitor and his barrister turned round

0:54:10 > 0:54:14and said that he was ashamed of himself, I could see that he was.

0:54:14 > 0:54:16He went to pieces just like I did.

0:54:16 > 0:54:19And he's being the man that I remember.

0:54:19 > 0:54:23And all I wanted to do was run over to him and wrap my arms round him

0:54:23 > 0:54:26and tell him, "It's OK, I'll be here.

0:54:26 > 0:54:30"I'll be here when you come out. We can try again." And I don't...

0:54:32 > 0:54:35I don't know. I don't know.

0:54:47 > 0:54:49I felt anxious, to be honest.

0:54:49 > 0:54:53I keep going over and over in my head, did it go well? Did it not?

0:54:53 > 0:54:57You know. I feel like I have to remind myself to breathe.

0:54:58 > 0:55:00And the jury are now out,

0:55:00 > 0:55:03so we're just waiting for the phone call to see what happens.

0:55:05 > 0:55:07The anxiety's built up through the week.

0:55:07 > 0:55:11So...at least it will be over either way now.

0:55:12 > 0:55:15Hopefully he doesn't get off and do it again.

0:55:15 > 0:55:18You know, that's more what this was about, to be honest.

0:55:18 > 0:55:22Imagine if I did nothing and he did it again to somebody else. You know.

0:55:22 > 0:55:25He is a danger to women, totally.

0:55:25 > 0:55:28Mentally and physically, he is a danger to women.

0:55:37 > 0:55:40PHONE RINGS

0:55:43 > 0:55:45Hello. Jemma?

0:55:45 > 0:55:47Hello.

0:55:47 > 0:55:49- Are you ready for this? - Yeah.

0:55:49 > 0:55:54Section 18, GBH with intent,

0:55:54 > 0:55:55guilty.

0:55:58 > 0:56:00Oh, my God.

0:56:01 > 0:56:04Thank God. Yeah, I know!

0:56:05 > 0:56:08Thank you, Julia, seriously, thank you so much.

0:56:10 > 0:56:14I'm stood out here by the buses, I hope none come along!

0:56:14 > 0:56:16Thank you so much. Thank you so much.

0:56:18 > 0:56:22Just stay there and pour yourself a glass of something.

0:56:24 > 0:56:27So...we got the right result at the end of the day.

0:56:28 > 0:56:31- All right?- Thank you, Julia.

0:56:31 > 0:56:33All right, bye.

0:56:33 > 0:56:35He got it.

0:56:48 > 0:56:51I can't believe he's got it.

0:56:52 > 0:56:55He's going to be locked up for a very long time.

0:56:57 > 0:56:58He's gone.

0:56:59 > 0:57:02- Who's gone? Dewayne?- Dewayne, yeah.

0:57:02 > 0:57:04- Yeah!- They said he's guilty.

0:57:04 > 0:57:07- Why are you crying? - Because Mummy's just happy.

0:57:07 > 0:57:10I was worried and then when it come through...

0:57:11 > 0:57:14- It's been hard, hasn't it? - Yeah.

0:57:16 > 0:57:18Do you want some? Tea up.